Cheteshwar Pujara scored his 17th Test hundred as India retained the upper hand against Australia on the second day of the third Test at Melbourne.
Skipper Virat Kohli fell in the 122nd over of the match, being caught at third man by Aaron Finch off the bowling of Mitchell Starc for 82. Soon thereafter, Pujara was bowled by Pat Cummins for 106 in the 126th over. It was Cummins's third wicket of the innings after he dismissed Hanuma Vihari and Mayank Agarwal on the first day.
India's score in the 127th over was 303 for 4 with Ajinkya Rahane on five and Rohit Sharma yet to get off the mark.
Kohli and Pujara had put on 170 runs in nearly 68 overs. Australia were wicketless in the first session of the second day as Pujara and Kohli added 62 runs to the overnight score of 215. Pujara's century, which came off a boundary off the bowling of spinner Nathan Lyon, puts him on par with V.V.S. Laxman in number of centuries scored in Tests for India.
With Rahane and Rohit Sharma at the crease and Rishabh Pant and Ravindra Jadeja to follow, India will be expected to try to add momentum to their innings, which has proceeded at a slow pace since the first day.
